Tragedy in Queens: 1-Month-Old Kiyanna Winfield Fatally Mauled by Family Dog — Medical Examiner Reveals New Shocking Details
| May 29, 2025 | Queens, New York
A heartbreaking tragedy has left a Queens family and an entire community in mourning after 1-month-old Kiyanna Winfield was found fatally mauled in her family’s apartment in the early morning hours of Tuesday. While initial reports pointed to the family’s 6-week-old German Shepherd–pit bull mix puppy as the cause of the infant’s death, new findings by the city’s medical examiner have introduced a shocking twist in the case.
A Horrific Scene Unfolds
The incident occurred just after 6:30 a.m. at the NYCHA Queensbridge Houses in Long Island City. According to law enforcement sources, Kiyanna was discovered with devastating facial injuries as she lay between her 27-year-old mother and her stepfather.
The family awoke to a horrific scene: the puppy was reportedly chewing on the baby’s face. The infant’s mother immediately called 911, and emergency medical services rushed to the 12th Street apartment. Despite swift intervention, Kiyanna was pronounced dead at the scene.
Neighbors were jolted awake by the mother’s screams, which echoed through the halls of the public housing complex.
“I heard her screaming, just screaming like nothing I’ve ever heard before,” one neighbor recalled. “Everyone in the building knew something terrible had happened.”
“The Dog Was Eating the Baby”
A friend of the baby’s mother, stunned and devastated, shared the mother’s words in the aftermath.
“She told me she woke up and the dog was eating the baby—chewing on her face,” the friend told The Post. “I said, ‘Y’all laying right next to the baby? How didn’t you hear her cry?’ But she just kept repeating, ‘We was laying right there.’”
Another neighbor, Shondell Norville, remembered seeing Kiyanna in her mother’s arms just days before the tragedy. “She was waiting by the elevator holding the baby. Then the dog—never on a leash—wandered onto the elevator alone. I remember thinking that wasn’t safe.”
Residents have since raised concerns about the dog, describing it as frequently roaming the hallways unsupervised, despite its young age.
Shocking Twist: Injuries Occurred After Death
In a stunning revelation Wednesday, the New York City Office of the Chief Medical Examiner determined that Kiyanna Winfield had already died before the dog bit her. According to the examiner, the wounds inflicted by the dog were postmortem, meaning they occurred after the baby had passed away.
Authorities have not yet confirmed the cause of death, and investigations are ongoing. This revelation dramatically shifts the narrative from a fatal dog attack to a potentially more complex and troubling situation.
The NYPD’s Special Victims Unit is leading the investigation, and the Administration for Children’s Services is conducting its own review to determine whether there was any prior involvement with the family. As of now, no arrests have been made.
The dog has been removed from the home and is being held by Animal Care Centers of NYC pending a behavioral evaluation.
A Community Devastated
The Queensbridge community, already grappling with challenges common to public housing residents, is now reeling from a tragedy that defies comprehension.
“It’s devastating,” said neighbor Tanya Morales. “That little girl hadn’t even started her life yet. We’re all in shock. Everyone is grieving.”
By Tuesday evening, residents had begun placing teddy bears, candles, and flowers outside the apartment building in memory of Kiyanna. The baby’s death has left a void not only in her home but throughout the neighborhood.
“This didn’t have to happen,” said a local resident. “Now there are more questions than answers.”
Questions Linger
As the investigation unfolds, authorities will be seeking clarity on how the baby died and whether negligence, substance use, or other factors may have played a role. The case has sparked a broader conversation around pet safety, co-sleeping with infants, and adequate supervision in homes with animals.
While the initial focus was on the family dog, the medical examiner’s findings have turned the spotlight back on the adults in the home—and on a painful truth: a precious life is gone, and the path to justice and understanding has only just begun.
Anyone with information about the case is urged to contact NYPD Crime Stoppers at 1-800-577-TIPS.
This story will be updated as more details become available.